In my garden in Italy, I have lots of flowers, and when I walk by them I can hear the many bees happily working, minding their own business, and insuring that my pretty flowers are pollinated. The bees and I have a nice relationship--I leave them alone and they leave me alone. I have even grown to enjoy the sound of them buzzing away, and can appreciate how their humming reminds me to keep my distance as they work.
But when it comes to wasps, there is no such peaceful coexistence. I am sure that Dr. Environmentalist, PhD would beg to disagree, but I happen to think that Mother Nature must have been just plain off her rocker when she added wasps to the mix. Wasps. Mean and aggressive, with stingers that can sneak up and plunge their venom into an innocent bystander. And so ungrateful—every spring they begin their squatting habits on my otherwise peaceful home, building nests and brazenly acting like it is their territory and we humans are the invaders.
So arriving at our Italian home, the first order of business is to remind the trespassers just who is in charge. This year, since Phil was still in Texas, and Popcorn is not much bigger than a wasp, the nasty job fell to me. I would have liked to acclimate for a few days before I started up the war, but no such luck. The morning after arriving,when I opened up the front door to let in the wonderful, fresh Umbrian air, I noticed what I had missed the night before. A rather large wasp nest swarming with fast moving evildoers armed and ready for battle, positioned just outside the entryway. So, given my tendency to swell up like a balloon after being stung, there was no choice but to equip myself with insecticide and benedryl and spend the day annihilating the nests.
Sometimes in Life, that is just the way it goes—whether we want to or not, we need to do some treacherous cleaning and exterminating before we can move forward. And for what is true for the external world is also true for our internal world. In our minds, hearts and souls, dangerous nests often begin to grow. Nests filled with poisonous thoughts, venomous attitudes, and toxic emotions that can be lethal to our creative spirit. For those of us that are following an artistic path, we must be all the more diligent in regularly cleaning out these nests since our very left-brained world does not offer much support.
The number of ways that these nests can begin to take root is probably as varied as the number of insects found in a tropical jungle. For some, it may have been the lack of attention for early creative efforts, while for others it may have been disapproving attitudes of family or school. Creative children are often non-conforming and may be ultra sensitive, two qualities that make both parenting and teaching more difficult. Even those of us who have been fortunate to grow up in emotionally healthy and artistically supportive environments have been exposed to pollution from a linear thinking and artistically barren world.
Fortunately, there are many tools available to us to help us go on a search and destroy mission. Five of my favorites are listed below:
1. Spend time reading the blogs of other creative souls. They are often filled with stories of their own artistic growth, and many share tips for dealing with some typical creative struggles. And it’s not necessary to limit yourself to artists that use the same type of artistic expression. An artist may learn from an actor, a sculptor may learn from a photographer. We are all creative cousins in the great family of the arts.
2. Keep a journal. Research is bearing out what artists have known for a very long time. Writing with feeling and reflection helps keep us physically and emotionally healthy. One of the greatest advocates of this tool is Julia Cameron, author of the popular The Artist’s Way ---a book that I highly recommend for every creative person. Many creatives also feel that writing is a great way to connect with inner guidance as well. For example, Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray and Love considers her journal a method of conversing with God.
3. Let the Masters guide you. I can never stress enough how much the great Masters can teach us. A masterpiece that was created centuries ago and still speaks to us today contains universal messages. We know that the artist was “in tune” with the human spirit, and also with the Divine, to be able to communicate across time. When you come across one of these works of art that particularly moves you, (whether in a book, on the internet or in a museum), take the time to research the artist. See what you can learn about his/her personal struggles, and see if there is something that you may want to apply to your own growth.
4. Form “open” relationships with other creatives. In this day and age, we are so lucky to have the means to communicate with other artistic people. We can join forums on the internet and search out clubs in our own community to find like minded individuals. Reach out and be open, but only where you feel comfortable, to find people with whom you can have a warm dialogue and safe exchange of inner artistic struggles.
5. Find a Professional. Sometimes, there are nests that are so big, or so strongly attached, that you need to call in a “professional exterminator”. If you find that there is something blocking the natural flow of your outward creative spirit, make it a priority to find a professional who is experienced with working with creatives. Approach cautiously, and use recommendations, to carefully find that one person who may help save you years of inner creative struggle.
